Omaha daily bee., 1887-03-20
SUNDAY GOSSIP.

called here to take leading part in 'Zitka'
last week, is no ordinary actor" remarked
gentleman last evening. "Besides dbeing an
artist of the first rank he is also gentleman
of rare excellence Of character. He looks
now like Lester Wallack In his palmiest DAYS
before time and the gout gave their heavy
parts to New YOrk's fsvorite actor. have
had the pleasure of seeing Atkins Lawrence
many times, but when he was with Mary
Anderson in 1870 an event occurred which
will always make his acquaintance marked to
me. At that time John W. Norton was
Miss ] DAnderson's leading support Her
manager was Sylvester Hickey, at one time
lessee of the Syracuse, N. Y.,opera house. He
was dead in love, as the boys say, with Mary,
and was always in her shadow The re-
doubtable DR.. Ham Griffin. Mary's STEP
father, didn't seem to care whether Hickey's
attentions were favorably received or not.
Mrs. Griffin, however, was very perturbed
over the matter Hickey was Catholic and
Mary devout member of that church, and
he was undoubtedly doing the best he could
to have religion hold potent sway in his
domain OF Cupid. just before the troupe ar-
peared in Cincinnati, in the year
named, and while Hickey's attention
to the star was the talk of
all the members, Atkins Lawrence
said to me there will be trouble come out of
this infatuation and you take my word for It,
There is woman following Hickey and
shouldn't wonder bit but she will kill him
and perhaps Miss Anderson. She is Hick-
ey's mistress and has noticed his infatuation
for our great tragedienne. have seen her
several times following us up from city to
city and she Is one of those piercing, black
eyed women that mean death every time
,ha,, ho,r had fnr
her tonight, but strange to say she has not
put in an appearance
x*x
"She did though. The train had
hardly left for the west with the
Anderson party on board bound
for Cincinnati, when o closely veiled
woman rushed into the depot The answer
to her inquiries that the train had gone COM
pleteiy prostrated her. Never mind, will
get him yet When does the next train leave
for Cincinnati?' On being told she returned
to hotel. She did get him and Atkins
Lawrence's forebodinzs became realistic.
~**
1.-Two days afterwards Hickey was called
to the parlors of tile Burnett house by q
woman. A few words passed, pistol shot
laid him out in what was thought to be ia
tality, and another killed Florence Percy, the
woman in black. 1t seems she had
been his mistress and the atten-
tion to Mary Anderson had maddened her.
She hunted him down and when she received
no satisfaction she attempted to kill him and
thinking she had succeeded took her own
life.
ut is unnecessary TO say the excitement In
Cincinnati was at fever heat that night.
Mary Anderson could not play. She was
overcome by the occurrence although far re-
moved in every way from the scandal. In
fact the news was suppressed on the Western
Union wires, but the country received 1t
through other lines and the tragedy was the
| talk of the day. Dr. Ham Griffin swore
more than he ever did before,
| which is putting IT strong. Lit
| tie Mrs. Griffin, Mary's mother,
had sixty Mysteries minute, with hun
| drcd Il TOLD you so DOCTOR second, and
| the star tragedenne of the mimic stage had
| q regular and real play of blood, to think of
| in lrer home affairs Hickey laid at the point
of death for long time. He was, Of course.
| dismissed from the management of the party.
| DIR. Griffin assumed that responsibility him
| self, which he has retained ever since; and
| they do say that Mary Anderson's first and
| only IOve-light went out with Hickeys dis
| grace The poor Magdelene was buried with
| little ceremony, and that tragedy has passed
| from memory, except with those who, like
| Atkins Lawrence, have occasion to recall 1t
| by meeting old friends. lie was the first
| one except a bell boy on the scene. The
woman in black died in his arms. Sylvester
Hickey. who had leading chance to be
Mary Anderson's husband, was carried by
| Lawrence In a suppOsable dying condition
| from the Burnett parlors"
| THERE are several legends as TO how this
city was given the name of "Omaha." by
some of the Old-timers 1t Is claimed that the
name was suggested by Jesse Lowe.
"Omaha" was the name OF a tribe OF Indians
| In the immediate vicinity. The meaning of
the name, 1t is claimed, Is "abOve the
water" The tradition is that two tribes OF
Indians had, great many years ago. met on
the Missouri river. and had engaged In Q
hostile encounter, In which all on one side
were killed but one. who had been thrown
into the river. Rising suddenly from what
was thousht 10 be watsry grave, he lifted
his bad above the surface. and pro-